Uncoupling mechanism.



W. McCONWAY, JR. & W. 1. REGAN.

UNCOUPLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED own, I916.

' Patented May 15, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHCET 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ONLY, .13., AND WILL AM J. BEGAN, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGHOBB TO THE McCONWAY & Toni-Er COMPANY, or PITTsnImon, PENNSYL- VANIA, A conPonATIoN or PENNSYLVANIA.

UNGOUPLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1917.

Application fled December 21, 1816. Serial K0. 138,229.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, WILLIAM MoCoN- WAY J r., and WILLIAM J. REGAN, citizens of the ilnited States, residing at Pittsbur h, in the county of Allegheny and State of ennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Uncoupling Mechanism; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to-wliich it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to uncoupling mech: anismfor actuating the locking device of a car coupler, and-while it is primarily designed to afl'ord means especially suitable .for use with couplers havin looks that project downwardly through t e coupler head or are actuated from beneath the same, yet mechanism constructed in accordance with our invention may be advantageously employed in conjunction with couplers in which the locking devices project upwardly through or are accessible from above the coupler head.

- It is-the object of the invention to provide uncoupling mechanism which is simple, stron easily manipulated, and easily assemb ed and disassembled. Generally stated, we are enabledto accomplish this object by employing for the purpose of moving the .coupler lock to unlocked position means involving a plurality of plvotally connected members. one of which is pivotally mounted on a stationary part of the car, said members being maintained in assembled relationby a rotatabls uncoupling lever which extends in a direction transversely of the car and which forms the pivotal connection between' the said pivotally connected members.

mechanism embodyin our invention, showing its referred relation to the coupler and ing omitted.

car bo y.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the structures shown in Fig. 1, the coupler head be- Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the devices illustrated in Fi 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view, partly in trail journals 11 which rest in the section and partly in plan, of a portion of the mechanism.

Fig.5 is a section on the line 5'5, Fig. 3.

gig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 4; an

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77, Fig. 2.

We will now proceed to describe our invention more fully, so that others skilled in the art to which itappertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a portion of the end of a car, and 2 indicates 'a car coupler havin a lock 3 by which the outward rotation. o the coupler knuckle 4 is restra ned. The details of construction of the coupler, its knuckle and knuckle locking device, not being essentialfeatures of our'invention, may be of any desired or well- .by which the coupler 2 is supported is, as

shown, preferably of a form permitting such lateral movement of the coupler. Bolts 6, 6 and 7, 7 serve to securely connect the carryiron to the car body.

The devices by which the coupler lock 3 is moved to unlocked position are supported by the carrv-iron 5 which, for such purpose, is preferably provided with separated bearings formed as downwardly extending'hooks 8 that open toward the rear. Journaled-in the hook-like bearings 8 so as to swing in the direction of length of the car is a member 9 to which is pivotally connected a vertically movable actuating arm or lever 10 that is operatively connected at its forward end to the coupler lock 3. The member -9 is provided with oppositelyextendin ,pintles or firings and it is preferably also formed with aforwardly opening recess or socket 12 that is adapted to receive the inner end of the arm or lever 10, the walls of. said recess, as shown in dotted lines in- Fig. 6, being preferably curved or rounded to conform to the shape of the adj accnt end of the member 10.; Projecting laterally from opposite sides of the ivoted member 9' are lugs 13 which extend eneath the hook-like brackets 8 and prevent the 'said member 9 from moving upwardly and thus becoming disassociated from the hooks 8, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Figs. 3 and 5. At its lower end the member 9 1s provided with a shelf or bar 14 which is adapted to form a seat or support for the innerfend of a rotatable uncoupling lever 15 that extends outwardly from the coupler toward the side of the car. The inner end 16 of-the lever 15 extends up:- wardly so as to pass through corresponding openings in the members 9 and 10 and form a pl'ivotal connection for said members.

- he uncoupling lever 15,- which is provided with a suitable operating-handle 17, is preferably. supported at its outer end by means of a rearwardly opening bracket 18 that is rigidly secured to the car 1, a cotter 19 being conveniently employed to prevent the escape of the uncoupling lever from the bracket.

The forward or outer end of the pivoted lock-actuating member 10 may be rovided with an eye 20 for forming a pivota con necs tion with a link or'bar 21'having a fin er 22.-

that extends into a suitable slot 23 in the lower-end-of the coupler lock 3. While this form of connection between the lever lO. and

the coupler lock is preferred, since it permits free action of the coupler under draft and bufiing and allows for lateral play of the tion 21, it is, of course, to, be understood that i -9 is turned to an approximately horizontal coupler without twisting the link or connecit is not an essential feature of' out invention and that the form of connection may be adapted to the special requirements of such forms of couplers as may be used.

In assembling the mechanism the member position so as -to' ermit the trunnions 11 thereof to be positioned in the hook-like bearing brackets 8 of the carry-iron,' The member 9 is then rotated downwardly to normal position and the rear end of the pivoted arm or lever 10, which has-been operatively connected to the coupler lock 3 by the link 21-, is insertedin the socket 12 of the member. This havin been done the uncoupling lever 15 is hel longitudinally of the car and lifted until its upturned end or pivot 16 enters the corres onding alined pivot openings in the mem ers 9 and 10.. The uncoupling rod 15 is thereafter turned horizontally until its innervend rests upon the led e or shelf 14 and its outer end is in assemb ed relation with the bracket 18. The assembling of. the mechanism is then completed by putting the retaining cotter 19 ace. when assembled the'parts are inter ocked and the mechanism cannot become disconnected from the carry-iron, for the upturned end 16 of the uncoupling, lever 15 prevents the escape of the pivoted member 10 from the socket of the -member 9, while the lugs 13 upon the latter, together with the lever 10 when connected to thecoupler lock serve to prevent the escape ofthe pivoted member 9 from the-supporting brackets 8 of the carry-iron 5.

The mode of. operation of the mechanism locked position, said means involving a member operatively connected to said lock and supported on said carry-iron so as to be rotatable only, said rotationbeing performed about a plurality of axes.

2. In an uncoupling, mechanism, the com bination witha coupler, its lock, an'(l"ca.1;'ry-

iron, of mea s for moving said lock tou'n locked posit' n, said means involvi a plurality of members which are pivota ly supported by-said carry-iron and which are connected with each other by a'vertical pivot.

3. In an uncoupling mechanism, the cofiirasps the iron, of means for rnoving said lock to un--.

bination with a coupler and its look, of

. means for moving said lock to unlocked pos'ition, said means involving a member pivotconnected to said last named member and operatively connected to said lock, an d arotatable uncoupling lever for actuating said pivotally connected members;

iron, of means for moving said lock to m;-

4. .In an'uncouplin mechanism, the'com bination with a coup er, its lock, and carry:

locked'position, said'means involving a ph'lrality of movably connected members. supported by said carry-iron independently of said lock.

5. In an uncoupling mechanism, the oom- .-'bination with a coupler, and its lock, of means for movingsald lock to unlocked po-;.

sition, said means involving a plurality of pivotally connected members one of which is pivotally mounted on a stationary part of the car and a rotatable.v uncoupling lever having a portion forming the pivotal conneetion of said pivotally connected members.-

6. In an uncou ling mechanism, the combination with a aterally movable coupler, of a carry-iron therefor permittm said coupler to shift laterally, and a plura ity of piv-.

100 ally connected to the car, a leirer pivotally f v 7. In an uncouplin mechanism, the coming toward the side of the car and serving bination with a coup er, and its lock, of a, to maintain said last named members in assocketed member having pintles 'whereby it sembled relation. 10 may be pivotally connected to the car, a. In testimony whereof we afilx our signa- 5 member 0 eratively connected to said lock tyres.

and exten ing into the socket of said 'socket- WILLIAM MCCONWAY, JR. ed member, and an uncoupling lever extend- WILLIAM J. REGAN. 

